Merry Christmas, everyone!! Hope you're enjoying version 2.1.

Mostly updating to mention that I won't be around much for the next couple of months :/.. I'll be working 12-16 hours most days, 7 days a week. Sniper's making good progress with the code, though, and there're maps and models being worked on, so this won't slow progress down by much.

If you have general questions or similar, it'd be appreciated if you could E-mail Sniper or Mad Jonesy rather than me... it's likely to be a while before I get around to answering any E-mails, and if too much builds up, some may never end up being answered :(. Make sure that you have the latest versions of SvenCo-op and Half-Life before E-mailing with technical problems, thanks.

SvenCo-op 2.1 has been released! On almost the anniversary of 2.0B's release, actually (it's tomorrow)... thanks to Honking Donkey for pointing that out.

Speaking of which: Thanks to all team members for all the work they've put into the mod, especially Sniper, who's done a heap of coding on 2.1! Thanks to all the beta testers, the mirror providers, and also the fans/donors who've helped with the mod in various ways (running servers/etc)! Wouldn't have reached this point without all of you.

Anyway, head over to the Mirrors page to download the v2.0F to v2.1 update (you need SvenCo-op 2.0F installed before using the v2.1 update)! If your new to SvenCo-op, make sure to check the Files page for important map packs and other files.

You can Click Here for a full features/changes list... a few of the main features are:

• Three new maps, several updated maps
• Two and a half new monsters
• One new weapon
• New monster abilities/behaviors
• Loads of small features and improvements added
• Loads of bugs fixed
• Latest WON ID list added

Discuss SvenCo-op v2.1 on the Forums

UPDATE: The Release Party for 2.1 is on NOW! -- irc.gamesnet.net / #svencoop

SvenCo-op 2.1 is set to be released sometime within the next 24 hours. The final version is currently uploading (slowly)... The mirroring process will begin as soon as the upload finishes.

In the mean time, you can check some of the screenshots taken during the beta test (see right), and also look over the final Features/Changes List in the SvenCo-op v2.1 Manual. Just a few of the late additions are:

• New Weapon:  Pipe Wrench
• New Monster:  Shock Trooper
• New Monster:  Shockroach
• Heavily damaged RoboGrunts have a glowshell shock effect randomly. Touching it results in injury
• Friendly monsters attacked by players become friendly again after being healed

Some more screenshots should soon be posted on Planet Half-Life.

We've just kicked off a short beta test of v2.1... hopefully it'll only take a few days to dispose of the last few bugs. Expect a final feature list and probably FGD, shortly before the release. Anyone interested in mirroring the update (expected to be around 15meg) is welcome to E-mail me.

Anyway though, I'm mostly writing this news post to alert you to these screenshots of the Pit Drone working in v2.1, and these screenshots of the OpFor wrench, which have been posted on the forums... and also to mention that any donations made after Monday, US time (the 16th... in just under two days' time) may not be in time to receive the bonus features in version 2.1. Postal donations can't be guaranteed from this time on... not that there was exactly a guarantee before.

If you donate through PayPal, please include your WON ID in the Comments box, so your ID can be added as soon as the donation comes in. Information on checking your WON ID is available at this page.

Thanks to all those who've already donated!! We wouldn't have been able to get this far without your help.

SvenCo-op v2.1 is still in progress... sorry about the delay, but there are a lot more features than originally planned. We're doing everything we can to get the update released before Christmas. Here's the current changes list:

*Fixed Friendly Male Assassins/Robo Grunts shooting Friendly Alien Grunts/Gargantuas
*Fixed model replacement bug for Male Assassins/Robo Grunts/Leeches
*Change 5 second wait for Gonome to 4 seconds (Before throwing spit)
*Fixed crash bug with applying properties to non-monsters in monstermakers
*Fixed Houndeye pause problem
*Houndeyes eat their fallen enemies and gain health
*Medkit uses skill settings
*SKILL entry for Robo Grunt explode damage
*Robo Grunts, Human Grunts and Male Assassins do not throw grenades at dead enemies.
*Added Medkit mirror health
*Added sv_dropweapons (For disabling weapon dropping by players. Default 1)
*Map spawned snarks attack grunts again
*Robo Grunts explode when they experience overkill damage (Before or during their explosion sequence)
*Model replacement added per weapon_ entity (Don't have to use the squadmaker entity now)
*Freeze bug with monsters finishing scripted_sequences when not in range of player, fixed.
*Bullsquid's spit shows Bullsquid as correct owner + monsters now react to bullsquid spit hit
*Clientside-gib crash bug fixed
*Monster AI handles enemy deaths more appropriately
*Fixed framerate related bug with monster TURN RATES. Monsters are not "slow" on [high-end] machines/servers when they turn to face a direction
*Monsters do not attack dead sentry/turrets if previously in combat with them
*Friendly monsters attacked by players become friendly again after being healed
*Osprey bug FIXED - Osprey correctly refills levels with grunts
*New Monster: Pitdrone
*Akimbo and Single UZI produces shells when firing
*Fixed crash bug with deaths
*Strafing at long distances from a Sniper male assassin may allow you to dodge their aim
*Distance limit bug with Sniper male assassins fixed
*Martial Arts assassins have increased speed compared to their normal versions.

On another subject, we've had a bit of a situation going on over the last few days involving the Real DeathMatch mod. If you haven't heard about this, it's probably not worth bothering about, since things have been resolved for now.

If you do know of it, however, it's unlikely that you know all the facts -- CLICK HERE for the full story!

An update is in progress, and is, in fact, already nearing completion!! Here are some of the things that have been changed:

* Fixed friendly RoboGrunts/Male Assassins shooting Alien Grunts/Gargs
* Fixed model replacement bug for Male Assassin/Robo/Leech (piranha time!)
* Changed 5 second wait for Gonome to 4 seconds (before throwing spit)
* Monstermaker monster properties for monsters only
* Fixed Houndeye pause problem
* Re-implemented eat for Houndeye
* Medkit uses skill settings
* SKILL entry for RoboGrunt's explosion damage  {Woohoo! Mad suicide Robogrunts! :)  - Sven}
* Robo Grunts, Human Grunts and Male Assassins do not throw grenades at dead enemies.
* Fixed Medkit mirror health
* Added sv_dropweapons for Deathbog's map
* Fixed minor problem with Valve SP maps

(At least a bit more will be added before the patch is finished). A new WON ID list will also be included, by the way... so if you'd been considering supporting the mod, now would be the time to do it, since you wouldn't have long to wait before you got access to the electric crowbar/gilded Uzis.

After a downtime of many weeks, CreepsWorld SvenCo-op, the leading SvenCo-op fan site, is back... and even better than before! Some of the improvements are as follows:

• 5 new sections, which include: News Archive, Official Maps, Clans database, Map Centre and Weeklymapping
• All existing sections have been re-written and are now at least 3 times as powerful and faster than before
• Users can register an account and actually USE the account and DO something with it
• Commenting system programmed into the existing reviews database, preview database, interview database, the Weekly Poll, and the news, so you can now actually review our reviews and let your opinion be heard.
• We are now using our own home made newsscript, which will be released as a stand-alone script to the public in a few weeks
• New website layout (hope you like it ;) )
• Rating system applied to the modelbase and mapcentre
• 2 job openings: Reviewer, 2 times.
• New forum

Go and check it out!  If you're a mapper or modeller, I'd also suggest that you take a look at one of my favorite sections, the Modelbase.

Sorry about the delay, but there's been an unprecedented demand for v2.0F... several mirrors have had to remove the installation files because of overloading, and even though we don't host the main files ourselves, the server admin was threatening to close SvenCoop.com for a couple of weeks because of the amount of bandwidth we're using (20 gig per day, apparently... just from the forums and map pack downloads and such). Thought it might be safest to hold off on releasing E.T.C. 'til things calmed down a bit.

Anyway: In case you don't know already, E.T.C. (Earthquake Test Center) is a single-player mission pack by Dave Johnston, maker of de_dust for Counterstrike. The SvenCo-op conversion was done by Commando, and plays remarkably well -- The sniper assassins in particular seem as if they were always meant to be there. Head over to the Files page now, and download it!

P.S. - Many thanks to the BlueYonder Multiplayer Gaming Service and BulletFiles for mirroring this file, as well as many others!

UPDATE: The HellzKitchen admin reports that one of the ETC maps crashes AdminMod... so if you're running AdminMod on your server, you may want to watch out for this. We'll look into this fully in the morning (it's 2am, here :/   ).

Another update: It seems that the above was an isolated problem... other people have run the maps on servers with AdminMod without any difficulties. Weird...

SvenCo-op 2.0 Final is now available from the Files page, as either an update from 2.0 Beta or a full installation package. For a list of features and changes (there are a lot), click here! Additional information can be found in the manual. 

A Linux server port is in progress, and will be released as soon as possible (though I've been told it's not a simple business, and may take some time).

SvenCo-op 2.0F has been designed to work with Counterstrike Retail as well as Half-Life, by the way... though obviously the HL single-player storyline itself is not playable in CS Retail.

Project Guilty v1.1, the updated, 2.0F-enhanced version of the best-looking SvenCo-op (or Half-Life, for that matter) map pack I've ever seen, has also been released! I'd post screenshots, but I don't have any handy, and they probably wouldn't do it justice in any case. One can be seen while installing 2.0F, however (initial splash screen). It's a lot of fun, too, though at least three players are recommended.

Grab it from the Files page!

On a similar subject, Commando's SvenCo-op conversion of DaveJ's famous single-player mission "E.T.C." should be released within the next few days. Keep an eye on SvenCoop.com for further information!

Help Wanted: As it has become increasingly difficult for two of our team members to find time away from RL work, we're currently looking for an additional, experienced, programmer... as well as a modeller/animator. Reliability and a professional attitude are crucial. If you'd be interested in working on SvenCo-op (as well as co-op They Hunger), please contact me at sven@svencoop.com. Preferably have an example of your work handy.

Well, we're all running about like headless bullchickens trying to get everything ready in time for the release. I'm confident that we can get 2.0F out the door, before Sunday is legally over in the US... though it may mean foregoing sleep. (Nothing new there, I guess).

Anyway: Mad Jonesy and the #svencoop guys are organizing a release party: CLICK HERE for the details! In the mean time, I suggest that you check out the forums... interesting things are bound to happen this close to a release. (I expect).

In Other News:

- An interview with Deathbog and me has been posted on ModDB.com, talking about the Valve Mod Expo.

- Creepsworld, the leading SvenCo-op fan site, has sadly been taken down (though most archives can be browsed, and their forums are still open). Don't be too worried, however -- Creeping Death tells me it's not permanent.

- SvenCoop.de has re-launched as SvenCoop.net (in English). Looks like a good place to check out, especially while Creepsworld is down!

- SvenCoop.com E-mail is back up, and it's finally accepting messages from Hotmail again! So, once more, I can be contacted at sven@svencoop.com.